Manhole cover



MANHOLE COVER Filed April 7, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l gg z.

A llomey Feb. 21, 1933. H ELLIS 1,898,871

MANHOLE COVER Filed April 7, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A llorney 59character and adapted for disposition in Patented Feb. 21, 1933 warrensTArss PArrnr orrice HENRY CHARLWOOD ELLIS, OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE,ASSIGNOR TO WM. C. ELLIS 85 SONS IRON WORKS, OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE-MANHOLE covert Application filed April 7,

Thisinvention relates to certain new and novel improvements in man holecovers, and the primary objectof this invention is to provide a man holecover equipped with suitable means for retaining the cover securely inposition.

Briefly the invention consists of an annular ring supported in the upperend of the man hole which ring is provided internally with a pluralityof pockets together with a cover provided inwardly from its peripherywith a plurality of lugs, there being one lug for each pocket andconformably fitting within the pocket for wedged engagement within thepocket upon rotation of the man hole in one direction for securing thecover in position on the annulus.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a man hole coverof the character above mentioned which is comparatively simple inconstruction, strong, durable, thoroughly reliable, practical, andefiicient in operation, inexpensive and well adapted for the purposedesired.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentduring a study of the following description, taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is a top plan view of the man hole cover showing the cover inclosed position,

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse view therethrough,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary detail elevational view looking within theannulus for clearly illustrating one of the pockets,

Figure 4 is a top plan view of theannulus with the cover removed,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary detail view in section illustrative of amodified form of locking means for the cover,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary detail elevational view of the coverillustrative of the locking lugs carried thereby.

With reference more in detail to the drawings, it will be seen theinvention comprehends the provision of an annular frame or ringdesignated generally by the reference 1930. Serial No. 442,423.

the mouth of a man hole. The ring at its upper portion is provided withan internal annular shoulder 6.

The cover per se is in the nature of a disk and is designated generallyby the reference character 7. The cover is provided with a skirt 8depending therefrom inwardly from the periphery thereof and when fittedand locked within the ring or annular frame 5 the peripheral edge of thecover rests on the shoulder 6 as shown to advantage in Figure 3.

Reference being had to Figures 3 and 1, it will be seen that the annularframe 5 internally is provided with a plurality of circumferentiallyspaced inwardly extending lugs 9. I Cooperating with each of the lugs 9is a relatively smaller lug 10. The smaller lug 10 is disposed forwardlyof the forward end of the lug 9 and said smaller lug 10 has one endthereof disposed above and in overlapping relation with the forward endof the lug 9, said lugs 9 and 10 cooperating to provide a pocketdesignated generally by the reference character 11.

In this instance, it will be noted that the relatively larger lug 9' onthe upper face thereof is provided with a downwardly inclined bearingsurface 12 merging at its lower forward end into a substantiallyhorizontal bearing surface 13. The lug 10 at its rearwardmost end and atthe lower corner thereof is formed to provide a bearing surface 14disposed substantially oblique to the horizontal bearing surface 13. Forreception within the pocket 11, the cover 7 011 the outer peripheralface of the skirt 8'is provided with a lug 15 as detailed in Figure 6.The lug 15 has an inclined bearing surface or face 16 incliningforwardly and at the forward end of the lug merg- 'ing into ahorizontally disposed bearing surface 17 The lug 15 at said forward endis suitably cut away to form a tongue 18, the bottom face of which formsthe bearing surface 17 while the upper face of the tongue 18 is inclineddownwardly and forwardly to provide a bearing surface or face 19.

The positioning of the cover 7 in closing position is accomplished byrotating the face corresponding to the inclined bearing cover in aproper direction so that the surfaces of the upper lugs on said annulartongues 18 of the lugs 15 enter the pockets frame.

11 to move downwardly and forwardly in the ockets so that obviously thesurfaces 16 oi tie lugs 15 will move over the surfaces 12 of the lugs 9and the tongues 18 will be received in the spaces between the overlapingends of the lugs 9 and 10 with the suraces 19 of the tongues 18 bearingagainst In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

HENRY CHARLVVOOD ELLIS.

the surfaces 13 of the lugs 10 and the hori-' V zontally disposedsurfaces 17 of thelugs 18 bearing against the horizontally disposedsurfaces 13 of the lugs 9, thetongues 18v wedgin themselves in thespaces between the sur aces 13 and 14 as is apparent'thus securelylocking the cover in place.

In that embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 5, it will beapparent that the edge outlines of the lugs 9 10, and 15 will besubstantially the same except that the bearing surface of the In 9'which corresponds to the bearing sur ace 12 of said lug 9 is hereindesignated by the reference character 12', and in this instance thesurface 12 is increased to carry the weight'of the cover so that thebody of the cover 7 has its under face disposed in spaced relation tothe top face of the lug 10 thus it will be apparent that the lug 9 inthis instance is utilized for supporting the entire weight of the cover7 and is not aided in the support of the cover 7 by the shoulder 6 as inthat embodimentof the invention shown in Figure 3 and hereinbeforedescribed in detai 7 It is thought that from the foregoing description,taken in connection with the accom anying drawings a clear understandinof t e operation, construction, utility and advantages of an inventionof this character will be had by those skilled in this art without amore detail description.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

In a manhole cover, an annular frame member provided internally with acircular series of relatively spaced pairs of lugs, each pair of lugsincluding an upper lug and a lower lug, the lower lug having an inclinedupper bearing surface merging into a horizontal bearing surface, and theupper lug having an end thereof provided with an inclined bearingsurface, and also having said end disposed in overlapping relation withthe forward end of the lower lug; and a cover plate supported on saidannular frame and provided with a circular series of spaced lugs each ofwhich has inclined and horizontal bearing surfaces corresponding to theinclined and horizontal bearing surfaces of the aforementioned lowerlugs on said annular frame, each lug on said cover also having at itsfree end an inclined bearing sur-

